


Silence

by animorbid



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Fidelity universe, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Game Start zine, Heartshipping, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Canon, Ryou looks back on Yami Bakura as pretty abusive, Sorry Tendershippers!, Yuugi and Ryou both have silence anxiety, Yuugi had a panic attack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 08:48:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17138687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/animorbid/pseuds/animorbid
Summary: Ryou opened the door, bowing his head apologetically as the rainwater that was soaked into his hair and his clothes dripped onto the carpet. “I’m sorry for taking so long. I had to grade some papers and enter in grades.”Wait…From across the room, the light from his phone lit up Yuugi’s face. He was squinting from the brightness, wiping at his eyes with his sleeves and sniffling quietly. Ryou’s heart seized up,  silencing the words on his tongue. “Are-... are you crying?”-----A storm kicks the power out. Silence can be a pretty scary thing.





	Silence

**Author's Note:**

> Happy holidays!! 'Tis the season to spend time with friends and family, and perhaps a significant other ;) Give someone special a big hug during this year's holidays. Show the people you love that you love them. Perhaps, as a gift to _yourself_ during this gift-giving season, you can download a FREE copy of the Game Start zine, which this fic debuted in! There's a ton of amazing artwork and some _great_ fanfiction featured in there. I highly recommend it! It was amazing working with such talented individuals. You can view the zine here and download it here.
> 
> This fic is part of my Fidelity universe. If you want a bit of background on this fic, go check out that one, too! I hope you enjoy this little hurt/comfort fic <3 Kudos and comments are really appreciated! Let me know what you think! Cheers~

_ Silence pools into my lap _

_ Rises up to my nose _

_ Fills my lungs to bursting _

_ And drowns me _

 

_ The noise was once a curse _

_ Rammed against my skull _

_ Burst out from my head _

_ And controlled me _

 

_ Absence now deafens _

_ Constricts around my throat _

_ Seizes my heartbeat _

_ And ends me _

 

_ Though I once left _

_ I beg of you now _

_ Until this silence ends _

_ Stay with me _

  
  
  
  


The rain slammed down against the car’s exterior in sheets, leaving Ryou engulfed in the rhythmic sound of muffled drums as he cranked up the heater and tossed his dripping umbrella onto the floor of the passenger side. The classroom he worked in was conveniently on the opposite side of campus from the faculty parking, so the shelter of his car was well-appreciated. After setting aside his bag, he turned on the car’s battery to get the radio going on his favorite station. He then fished his phone out of his pocket and settled down into his seat, pushing his bangs from his face. The light blinded him for a moment, harsh in contrast to the soft darkness of the evening storm outside.

Below a few likes and Instagram messages in his notifications were multiple texts from Yuugi. He didn’t take much time to read each text, only absorbing the overall message that the power had gone out in Yuugi’s home and his phone was dying. The phone in his hands started to feel heavy. The last text came over an hour ago. In that moment, he cursed his work and regretted neglecting his phone as he took care of post-class business. Without much more thought, Ryou started his car and fought back the urge to speed in rainy weather. He had a portable charger in his bag that he hadn’t needed all day, and sitting in a home with no power could be rather boring. Yuugi was probably bored out of his mind.

It seemed the whole block’s power had gone out. On the streets nearest Yuugi’s home, the only light available was from Ryou’s headlights. It was hard to see where the sidewalks ended and the streets began, or where the curves wound away from homes where families entertained themselves by the light of candles. The rain only seemed to be getting heavier.

Finally, Ryou reached Kame Game Shop in one piece. It was only after he had stepped out into the downpour that he realized he had forgotten his umbrella, but he was already jogging towards the back door. The rain beat down onto his shoulders and drenched his hair within seconds before he could get there. Yuugi was obviously expecting him because the door was unlocked. After kicking off his shoes and locking the door behind him, Ryou stepped into the dark home.

“Yuugi? I’m here,” Ryou called out. The house was silent, cold, and near pitch-black -- a far cry from the usual warmth and comfort that Yuugi’s home offered. Using his phone’s flashlight, he made his way through the dark to Yuugi’s room, figuring he must be there.

After he knocked quietly, he heard a soft voice from behind the door. “Ryou?”

Ryou opened the door, bowing his head apologetically as the rainwater that was soaked into his hair and his clothes dripped onto the carpet. “I’m sorry for taking so long. I had to grade some papers and enter in grades.”

_ Wait… _

From across the room, the light from his phone lit up Yuugi’s face. He was squinting from the brightness, wiping at his eyes with his sleeves and sniffling quietly. Ryou’s heart seized up,  silencing the words on his tongue. “Are-... are you crying?” Yuugi shook his head, despite how he hiccuped and hid his face. Ryou crossed the floor to sit on the side of Yuugi’s bed. He spoke in a gentle voice as he turned off his phone's flashlight. “Hey, Yuugi, what’s wrong?”

Yuugi took in a shaky breath as he sat up in the dark, dragging his sleeve under his nose. “It’s nothing, really…”

“It’s clearly not nothing.” He brushed Yuugi’s bangs from his face with his fingertips, moving closer. “I’m sorry I took so long, Yuugi, I--”

“No, no, Ryou,” Yuugi stammered out, putting a hand on Ryou’s. “It’s not that, I swear. I just…” He squeezed Ryou’s hand in his, keeping his eyes down. “M-my phone died, and I had nobody to talk to, and I couldn’t turn on a radio or anything, or the TV, so it just…”

As Yuugi trailed off and went silent, Ryou started to understand. The quiet was only filled by the rainfall against the window, leaving the room in a tense standstill. Ryou and Yuugi both shifted uncomfortably, but sat in the stillness for a moment. He bit his lip and nodded. “It was quiet.”

He knew this feeling, too. The quiet that made him find any way possible to fill every moment with some sort of sound. He had the Ring for years… It was a constant source of violent noise that never let him enjoy a moment of peace. Nothing was ever quiet. He used to hate the constant movement, but now silence felt heavy. It pressed into his chest and left him breathless, like something was wrong. It felt like he was constantly waiting in the seconds before something  _ would _ go wrong, like falling from a great height and watching the ground come rushing toward him. He could only imagine how it must feel for Yuugi. That voice used to be comforting for him before it was gone. Something important was now missing.

Yuugi nodded back, retreating into himself and bringing his knees up to hide his face in his arms. His voice trembled from where it was muffled against his sleeves. “I didn’t know what to do, so I tried to sleep, but it wasn’t working… It was too quiet.”

“I’m sorry, Yuugi… I’m here now, okay?” Ryou reached out in an invitation, and Yuugi immediately crawled forward to curl up in Ryou’s arms. “I’m here…”

As Ryou ran his fingers through his hair, Yuugi nuzzled his face into the other’s shoulder. Ryou’s coat was wet, and he was definitely getting Yuugi’s bed wet, too, but his embrace was warm and comforting. Ryou held Yuugi close, trying to hide him from any more discomfort. He had to be the strong one here. He hated seeing Yuugi so hurt. He hated seeing him cry. Yuugi was always the strong one that managed to smile through anything. If he had the choice, Ryou would have fought off the situation that hurt Yuugi with his own bare fists. He would have driven it away with everything he had. What he  _ could _ do, though, was whisper affirmations that he wasn’t going anywhere.

Ryou kissed Yuugi’s hair and held him tighter, making Yuugi let out a shaky sigh. Ryou’s attention drove away the loneliness that plagued him and made his worries wither and die in his chest. He shifted to look at Ryou, letting Ryou pepper his forehead and cheeks with kisses. Ryou brushed Yuugi’s hair from his face and hummed through a long kiss to his hairline. “I love you, Yuugi. I’m right here,” he muttered into Yuugi’s bangs.

Yuugi smiled for the first time all day, wrapping his arms around Ryou and nuzzling against his neck. “Thank you… I love you, too.”

“Do you love that I’m soaking your bed right now?” Ryou chuckled. He pulled back from their embrace and shook his head, splattering drops of water over Yuugi and making him giggle. Ryou’s heart melted at the sound.

Yuugi sniffed and wiped the rainwater from his face, glad to be laughing rather than crying. “We should get you dried off. I think we’ve still got those pajamas you left here.”

“That’d be great.” He stood up from Yuugi’s bed, holding out a hand to help Yuugi up. As Yuugi’s feet met the floor, Ryou pulled him close and caressed his cheeks. “But first, can I have a kiss?”

Yuugi snickered, resting his hands at Ryou’s lower back. “I, personally, would love one.” He stood up on his toes as Ryou bowed his head, and they met in a tender kiss. A soft warmth lit up between them, melting away the rest of Yuugi’s tension. It sent sparks down their limbs and made Yuugi press his palms against Ryou’s back, pulling him closer until their bodies were flush against each other. Ryou smiled against Yuugi’s lips and hummed happily, making Yuugi giggle in response. After a few more kisses and a great many left on Yuugi’s cheeks and the tip of his nose, Yuugi pulled back.

“You’re soaked.” Yuugi pat Ryou’s sides. “Please change into your pajamas. I’ll get you a towel. Okay?”

Ryou feigned a whine. “Fine… But hurry back.”

“I’ll take as much time as I need, thank you.” Yuugi reached up to ruffle Ryou’s wet hair before walking out of the room.

As Yuugi left, Ryou started stripping his wet clothes off of his body. He hanged them on the open door so they wouldn’t just lie on the carpet in a sopping wet pile, and then dug in Yuugi’s dresser drawer to fish out his pajamas. As he was pulling on his pants, Yuugi stepped in and hung a fresh, soft towel around Ryou’s neck.

“Thank you.” Ryou straightened up and rubbed at his hair.

“I brought a brush, too.” Yuugi waited until Ryou finished trying to wring out as much water as possible, then sat him down on the edge of the bed. He climbed up behind him and stood up on his knees, pressing a kiss to the crown of Ryou’s head before starting to brush out the tangles. “Thank you for coming tonight. You really pulled me out of something pretty bad.”

Ryou smiled sadly, fidgeting with his hands. “Ah, well… I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner. I wasn’t paying attention to my phone.”

“It’s fine.” Yuugi paused to lean over Ryou’s shoulder and kiss his cheek. “I’m just glad you showed up.”

“I’m glad I did, too…”

A bit of quiet settled around them as Yuugi finished brushing Ryou’s hair. Yuugi ran his fingers through the damp locks to fluff it back up, moving some hair out of the way to kiss Ryou’s neck. Ryou smiled again, shifting to better face Yuugi and press their lips together. Their lips lingered near each other in a moment of soft quiet, more comfortable than the silence they had tried so hard to avoid. Their breaths and heartbeats filled the space between them and made the stillness warm.

Yuugi sighed, nuzzling against Ryou’s cheek. “I’m sorry I’m so needy.”

Ryou reeled back, looking at Yuugi with confusion. “What do you mean? You’re not needy.”

“You know what I mean,” Yuugi muttered.

“No, I don’t. If anything, I’m the needy one. You’re always the strong one for me. I’m constantly demanding your attention because I always need someone to be there for me.”

Yuugi shook his head, averting his eyes. “But I’m happy to be there for you.”

“And what?” Ryou reached for Yuugi’s hand, catching it in his own. “I’m happy to be here for you, too. This is supposed to go both ways.”

“But, I--” Yuugi huffed and bowed his head, balling his hand into a fist beneath Ryou’s. “I can’t be there for you when I’m like this.”

“I don’t need you to be strong for me all the time. I don’t want emotional superhero Yuugi, I want  _ real _ Yuugi. I love all of you, even the parts of you that can’t always be strong.” Ryou reached his other hand up to brush Yuugi’s bangs from his face, coaxing his chin up to look into his eyes. “Letting me see where you hurt is also really strong of you.”

Yuugi held still for a moment, not bowing his head but keeping his gaze off to the side. His eyes started to glisten and his brows pinched together in the middle, but he did his best to hold in the bittersweet tears that threatened to spill out. After a trembling breath, he looked back to Ryou. “...Okay.”

Ryou pulled Yuugi into his arms, holding him tight against his chest. “I want to help you, too, Yuugi. Don’t leave me in the dark.”

“Okay…” Yuugi hid his face against Ryou’s chest and took in his scent, finding solace in how attentive Ryou was being to him. “...I love you.”

Ryou smiled and gave Yuugi a generous squeeze in his embrace. “I love you, too.”


End file.
